Thanks for pointing this out. He has looked in mid-season form. He's been the best player this preseason. If he can average 23-24 ppg shooting around 46-47%, we're set. And those numbers are realistic. With all the attention Nash, Howard, Pau are going to get, he's going to be receiving wide open looks.

Moreover, as I pointed out in another thread, he can start coming off screens and moving off the ball now that we have Nash to deliver the ball in Kobe's, "sweet spots," where he can get an open look, attack the basket putting pressure on the defense getting to the free-throw line.

Something that people haven't really touched on is that with Kobe and Dwight on the team, we're going to be at the free throw line a LOT.

Kobe has been averaging 9.4 free throws per game so far in this pre-season. I expect that to drop to closer to 8, but combine that with Dwight who is consistently among the league's leaders in free throw attempts, and we're going to have a parade at the line on many games.

I was reading what Kray28 heard on 710 and was concerned. Basically the difference between a foot sprain and strain is a sprain is damage to the ligaments? Is that what they refer to as a Lisfranc injury? This sucks, I was lookig forward to seeing the entire starting 5 play tonight at Staples. Hopefully on 10/30 everyone is back on the court at full strength.

therealdeal wrote:Something that people haven't really touched on is that with Kobe and Dwight on the team, we're going to be at the free throw line a LOT.

Kobe has been averaging 9.4 free throws per game so far in this pre-season. I expect that to drop to closer to 8, but combine that with Dwight who is consistently among the league's leaders in free throw attempts, and we're going to have a parade at the line on many games.

By the way Kobe is shooting very well from the line: 87%.

Another thing we're going to notice is a lot of no calls on them too.

This is the David Stern NBA we're talking about. I have a feeling he's going to tell the refs to swallow their whistles for some obvious fouls so that games are competitive, and players don't foul out so early, or get in early foul trouble.